Tineau



Dec, 2, 1924. 1,517,372

F. l.. MARTINEAU INTERNAL coMBUsTIoN ENGINE Filed June 29. 1920 ZSheets-Sheet l -/1 'A MW@ ngc. 2, 1924.

F. L. MARTINEAU y INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed June 29 1920 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 2, 1924.

UNITED STATES FRANCS LEIGH MARTINEAU, 0F .'LONBON, ENGLAND.

INTERNL-CQMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed June 29, 1920.

To all/whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Fin-livers Lnisi-r Man- 'rrNnAm a subject of theKing of Great Britain, and resident ot London, England. have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in and Relating` toInternlil-Combos` tion Engines. ot which the ollowinp` is a specication.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and has referenceto that class of engine where steam or other elast-ic fluid preferablygenerated by the waste heat ot combustion is used expansivelv at theback or backs of the combustion engine piston or pistons.

The object of the invention is to provide a compact and ellicient engineof comparatively simple construction and capable of manut'acture insmall as well as large sizes.

Important advantages possessed by the in` vention are that the steamclearance space is reduced to a minimum and there is no possibility otthe combustion gases leaking through to the steam side ot the piston.

The invention consists broadlv of an engine having` a hollow pistonslidino; relativelv to a fixed abutment within it througgh which thesteam is introduced to steam space within the hollow piston and locatedbetween the fixed abutment and the closed end of the hollow piston7 thecombustion chamber beingr located in the combustion cvlinder withinwhich the hollow piston slides, on the other side of this closed end olthe hollow piston.

In the preferred construction each c'vl' ider is enclosed in a boilerdrum or i Ar l within which a waste heat generator is disposed, throughwhich the exhaust combustion yeases are led prior to their finalexhaust. the steam generated in this boiler drum or iacket beine usedexpansivelv at the backs of the combustion engine pistons.

In the accompanving drawings I have illustrated an embodiment of theinvention. Tn these drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation ot thecvlinder, steam generator and piston showing connecting rods. crossheadand crank shaft.

Fig. 2 is a section through the line 2 2 oi Fie. 1.

Referring to both figures. 1 is the cvlinder of mv engine. -2 is thehollow pistou1 3 is a. fixed abutment which constitutes the cvlinderhead. This abutment is provided with piston rings 4 which keep it insteam tight engagement with the inside oif the piston 2. other pistonrings keeping the outside o the piston in gas-tight engagement with thecjf'linder 1. The space between the liifezl abutment 3 and the inside otthe piston 2 will constitute the steam cylinder; and the space betweenthe end of the cylinder 1 and the outside et the piston 2. thecombustion cylinder of mv engine. and the parts should be so designedand assembled that the smallest possible clearance between 2 and 3remains when the piston 2 is at the top ot its stroke. The space 6surroundingthe cylinder 1 and enclosed by the cvlindrical drum or jacketi7 constitutes the steam generator and is kept filled with water up toabout the line WL. From this agace 6 steam is conveyed into the hollowinterior ot the fixed abutment 3 bv the steam inlet port S. itsadmission into the steam c vlinder beine; controlled by the valve 9. thevalve rod 10 ot which is connected bv a lever 11 to a cani rod 12. whichis actuated bv a suitabl7 driven cam (not shown) in well known manner.

T/Vhen the steam stroke is almost completed the lower edges of therecesses 13 in the inner wall of the hollow piston 2 clear the bottom ofthe fixed abutment 3 and the steam is tree to exhaust by means otexhaust ports 14: provided in the said Fixed abutment.

Regarding` the combustion cvlinder of mv engine. the operations ofadmission5 ignition and exhaust niav be controlled b v an'v familiarmeans. such tor instancey as the cam controlled inlet and exhaust valves15 and 1G shown in Fig. 2. The products oi combustion upon exhaust areconducted. bv means of passage 17. through the steam generator beforepassing into the atmosphere.

Power is transmitted from the piston 2 to the engine crosshead 18 bvmeans et two connecting rods 19 which are bolted to luQ's 20 cast on theupper end of the hollow piston 2. passa ges 21 in the cvlinder castingallowinn' the said connecting` rods to nass trcelv to the crosshead 18.

It will be realized from the toreefoingr that in operation thecombustion stroke takes place in the combustion cvlindcr moving thepiston in one direction. After the combustion stroke the exhaust Ifrasespass through the port 23. throusrh the waste heat generator as beforeindicated. and a cam operates to open the steam inlet valve 9 and steampasses `trom within the fixed abutment 2 to the steam space between thelatter and the end Serial No. 392,787. i

of the hollow piston 2, and operating expansively moves the piston inthe other direction. When the recesses I3 aforesaid in the inner wall ofthe hollow piston 2 pass beyond the lower end of the fixed abutment 3,the steam exhausts fr om the steam space to this recess and thence tothe steam exhaust pipe la. ()f course the return stroke of the pistoncomi presses a fresh charge in the combustion cylinde r I, `which isthen tired either by a sparking plug or in any suitable well knownmanner. before observed it will be seen that with the foiegoingconstruction steam clearance spaces are practically eliminated. Moreoverthe steam and combustion sides are separated and there is no tendencyforthe combustion gases or lubrication to leak past the piston into thesteainspace. Further, the arrangement provides for adequate cooling ofthe piston by the steam which enters within it as before described.Steam for the steam stroke may be provided solely by the waste heat fromthe cylinder walls and exhaust gases. An engine of the foregoingcharacter will be capable of developing considerable overload power andwill moreover possess the advantage of a high degree of flexibility.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is An internalcombustion engine, comprising a cylinder', a fixed and hollow abutmentprojecting into and in spaced relationto the open end of an invertedcylinder, a hollow piston the inside of which is in gas-tight sliding'engagement with the fixed abutment and the outside of which is `ingas-tight sliding engagement with the cylinder', a boiler surroundingsaid cylinder and adapted to be heated by the Waste heat from the engineand the exhaust gases, means connecting the top of said boiler' to theinterior of the fixed hollow abutment for admitting thereto the steamgenerated in said boiler, a port in the lower end of said fixedabutment, a valve controlling said port the stem of which extends upthrough the center' of said abutment and out through the upper end ofthe saine, means for mechanically operating said valve so as to admitsteam to the interior of the hollow piston, longitudinal grooves in theinside periphery of the piston adapted to coact with passages in thefixed abutment so as to control the exhausting of the steam from theinterior of the piston, and valves controlling the admission of fuel to,and the exhaust of the products of combustion from, the space betweenthe cylinder and the end of the pis ton.

In witness whereof I affix my signature.

FRANCIS LEIGI-I MARTINEAU.

